Mount Martha

Population growth drivers in Mount Martha are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

The population of the Mount Martha statistical area (Lv2) is estimated at around 20,303 as of November 2025. This reflects an increase of 457 people since the Census in 2021, which reported a population of 19,846 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 20,166 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024) and an additional 103 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 672 persons per square kilometer. Mount Martha's growth rate of 2.3% since census positions it within 1.4 percentage points of the SA3 area (3.7%). Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking ahead, an above median population growth is projected for the Mount Martha (SA2), with an expected expansion of 3,188 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 15.0% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Mount Martha recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Mount Martha has seen approximately 67 dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS data. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 339 homes were approved, with a further 19 approved in FY26 so far. This indicates that supply is meeting or exceeding demand, offering greater buyer choice and supporting potential population growth above projections.

The average number of people moving to the area per dwelling built over these years was 0.5. New dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost value of $1,722,000, targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY26, Mount Martha has recorded $10.1 million in commercial development approvals, indicating moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Mount Martha has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 49th percentile nationally, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing dwellings.

New building activity shows 72% standalone homes and 28% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. The location has approximately 330 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. Looking ahead, Mount Martha is expected to grow by 3,051 residents through to 2041 according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Mount Martha has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified seven projects that could influence this region. Notable projects include Mount Martha North Foreshore Toilet Renewal, Briars Wildlife Sanctuary Expansion, Briars Class A Recycled Water Project, and Mount Martha Village Parking and Footpath Upgrade on Watson Road. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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Employment conditions in Mount Martha rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Mount Martha has a well-educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 1.4% in September 2025, lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.7%. As of September 2025, 10,334 residents were employed with a workforce participation rate of 60.5%, below Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training are the primary employment sectors in Mount Martha. The area has a strong specialization in construction, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing shows lower representation at 2.1% compared to the regional average of 5.2%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 2.7%, labour force by 2.9%, resulting in a slight rise in unemployment rate by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced higher employment and labour force growth rates with a larger increase in unemployment rate. State-level data to 25-Nov-25 shows VIC employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, adding 41,950 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia indicate a projected growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.6% over ten years for Mount Martha, based on industry-specific projections applied to its local employment mix.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

The suburb of Mount Martha had a median taxpayer income of $53,074 and an average income of $82,981 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. This is notably higher than the national averages at that time. In comparison, Greater Melbourne had a median income of $57,688 and an average income of $75,164 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth figures, current estimates suggest the median income in Mount Martha would be approximately $57,453 and the average income around $89,827 by September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Mount Martha are concentrated at the 65th percentile nationally. Income distribution data indicates that the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket is dominant, with 29.7% of residents (6,029 people) falling into this category. This is slightly lower than the broader metropolitan region's 32.8%. Economic strength in Mount Martha is evident through 32.4% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, which supports elevated consumer spending. After accounting for housing costs, residents retain 86.7% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Mount Martha is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Mount Martha's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 84.3% houses and 15.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 85.5% houses and 14.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mount Martha was at 43.9%, similar to Melbourne metro's level, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (43.5%) or rented (12.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Mount Martha was $2,167, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $1,989. The median weekly rent figure for Mount Martha was recorded at $496, compared to Melbourne metro's $380. Nationally, Mount Martha's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Mount Martha features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 78.2% of all households, including 37.5% couples with children, 31.1% couples without children, and 9.1% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 21.8%, with lone person households at 20.8% and group households making up 1.0%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.4.

Mount Martha shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Mount Martha trail's educational qualifications lag behind Greater Melbourne's regional benchmarks, with 29.3% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to 37.0%. This indicates potential for educational development and skills enhancement in the area. Bachelor degrees are most common at 20.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.3%) and graduate diplomas (3.9%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 36.2% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (14.4%) and certificates (21.8%).

Educational participation is high, with 29.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.9% in primary education, 9.7% in secondary education, and 3.9% pursuing tertiary education.

Transport servicing is low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Mount Martha has 77 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by four different routes that together facilitate 805 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as good, with residents on average living just 341 meters from the nearest stop.

The service frequency across all routes averages 115 trips per day, which equates to approximately ten weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Mount Martha are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Mount Martha's health indicators show below-average outcomes, with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age groups.

The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population of 12,090 people. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 9.1 and 7.7% of residents respectively. 67.7% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.9% across Greater Melbourne. The area has 26.6% of residents aged 65 and over (5,400 people), which is lower than the 29.9% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

Mount Martha ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Mount Martha, surveyed in June 2016, had a culturally diverse population that was below average. 79.1% of its residents were born in Australia, with 91.2% being citizens and 94.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 47.1% of Mount Martha's population.

Notably, Judaism was overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, comprising 0.3% versus 0.2%. The top three ancestry groups were English (34.1%), Australian (25.8%), and Irish (9.7%). Other ethnicities with notable divergences included Scottish at 9.5%, Dutch at 1.9%, and Welsh at 0.7%.

Mount Martha hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Mount Martha is 46 years, which is higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and also exceeds the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Mount Martha has a notably higher proportion of individuals aged 75-84 (10.7% locally), while those aged 25-34 are under-represented at 4.9%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the percentage of individuals aged 75 to 84 has increased from 8.4% to 10.7%, while the proportion of those aged 15 to 24 has risen from 11.4% to 13.3%. Conversely, the percentage of individuals aged 35 to 44 has decreased from 11.3% to 9.3%, and the percentage of those aged 5 to 14 has dropped from 14.6% to 13.5%. Population forecasts for Mount Martha in 2041 indicate significant demographic changes, with the 75 to 84 age cohort projected to grow by 1,334 people (61%), from 2,172 to 3,507. This aging population trend is evident, as those aged 65 and above are expected to comprise 79% of the projected growth. Conversely, the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 age cohorts are anticipated to experience population declines.